Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 148: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

618 be earning a few hundred more dollars, er— “Right ” and “nice.” Why not “right ” and “ nice ”’? He did not have to follow every dictate of habit. He was a man, not an automaton. And gradually during the days that fol- lowed a bitter rebellion rose within him, seethed and fermented with a_ steadily mounting pressure until one Tuesday night a month later he had halted at Briggs’s door, turned, and gone deliberately into the city, found Windy and Puss, and faced them with a feverish steadiness. “T see a cashier out in Minnesota was stuck up yesterday,” he had said. “ How do they generally split in those deals?” And that night they had made the first draft of their plans. ‘This morning as he emerged from the Commonwealth National at ten thirty-three with eighty-four thousand dollars of Atlas money locked on his wrist in a heavy leather cash bag and paused before crossing the street to where the company car with its ‘armed chauffeur and company policeman waited, a big black touring car with drawn curtains would swerve and step squarely before him. The tonneau door would be flung open, Puss, masked by an upturned collar, would reach out and seize the bag and him. There would be a struggle, enough to register resistance on spectators. Then Puss would drag him into the ton- neau, Windy would seid the big car leaping forward: and by the time the amazed chauf- feur had turned the company car about, they would be blocks away toward the Brier Every step had been timed to synchro- nism, every trifle foreseen and provided against. Vance and Greenway would take to a waiting flivver and Morrison would be discovered by the posse supposedly dazed by a blow on the head, his third of the money having been hidden meanwhile. Viewed from all angles, there was not a loose end. He had even made a mental memorandum that he must wear his hat while bumping his head against a rock to produce the appearance of a blow. But would Camp have a car ready at ten? ~ Morrison was working. Habit kept him _ preparing for his trip to the bank and run- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. : “ning through the stack of vouchers and requisitions awaiting his O. K., as if this were nothing more than any ordinary pay day. Evans, his assistant, was busy at his desk near the wicket. The office had the air of merely intent activity. But would Camp have a car? He dared not call the garage again. ‘That might arouse suspicion. But if Camp failed to provide a car punctually— He rose, went out, conferred with Fitz- hugh, the paymaster, across the hail, and Bannet, the treasurer, next door, all routine, preliminary to drawing the pay roll, and re- turning, began the necessary transfers to make the eran available. But would Camp have a car on time? He* tried firmly to repress that uneasy question, but could not.~ Why were al! the cars out? ‘That had never occurred before. He finished drawing the necessary checks with his usual thoroughness, and at nine forty-five began preparations for his trip. The cash bag in which funds were car- ried to and from the bank was made of heavy leather, wire lined, and fitted with a shoulder strap and a steel band, the lat- ter to be locked about the wrist of the bearer. It was always kept in the corner at the end of Morrison’s desk, but now, as he stepped to the spot and reached down, he se abruptly. The bag was not there. — : He fcoked sharply into the corner and frowned, a quick new uneasiness rising with- in him. “ Did you have the bag? Where did you put it?” he called over his shoulder to Evans. The assistant looked up from his work. “Why, no. I haven’t seen it since yester- day,” he replied. “ Isn’t it there?” Morrison shook his head. Whether he carried the _money in this particular bag or another seemed trifling. But it could make a significant difference. This was the only bag in the building fitted with a wrist band, and for his purposes the money must be ‘securely fastened to his person. ‘That was the ostensible reason why Vance and Green- way had to take him along instead of merely wrenching the bag from his grasp. Evans left his desk, and together they searched the room, peering into corners and Coinicbooks,co